Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has sought intervention of Union ministers Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan to forestall ‘any change in the nature and character of the Panjab University’ (PU). “The state government vehemently opposes any such move of Government of India to examine the feasibility of converting Panjab University into a central university,” wrote the chief minister in a letter to Union Home Minister Shah and Union Education Minister Pradhan, as per an official assertion issued right here on Sunday.
The state governmnet’s transfer comes practically a month after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Centre to discover prospects of changing Panjab University right into a central varsity.
Further, Mann apprised each the leaders that state authorities won’t like all change within the nature and character of the college because it has an emotional place within the hearts of the folks of Punjab on account of historic, cultural and provincial causes.
“Let the decision taken by the Central Government, at least in principle, be placed before the court on the next date of hearing,” the excessive courtroom had stated on a plea by a former Panjab University instructor, and glued August 30 as the subsequent date of listening to within the case.
Mann bemoaned that for the previous a while, “forces with certain vested interests have been trying to push the matter for change of status of Panjab University into a central university”.
Recently, many pupil our bodies had held a protest in Chandigarh in opposition to any transfer to provide central standing to Panjab University.
Mann reminded each the leaders that on the time of the reorganisation of the State of Punjab in 1966, Panjab University was declared as an ‘Inter State Body Corporate’ below part 72(1) of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 enacted by the Parliament. The chief minister stated that this standing was duly confirmed in a number of judgments handed by courts.
He stated that ever since its inception, the Panjab University has been constantly and uninterruptedly functioning within the State of Punjab. Mann additionally stated that the PU was shifted from Lahore, the then capital of Punjab, to Hoshiarpur after which to Chandigarh. Notably, Chandigarh is the frequent capital of Punjab and Haryana.
Mann stated that at current 175 schools of Punjab located within the districts of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib and S B S Nagar are affiliated with the Panjab University.
The chief minister asserted that complete territorial jurisdiction of the college lies primarily in state of Punjab and Union territory of Chandigarh.
“As per sub-section (4) of Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the maintenance deficit grants to the university were to be shared and paid by the states concerned, that is, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and UT Administration of Chandigarh in the ratio of 20:20:20:40, respectively,” Mann wrote.
However, he stated that “states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh decided to withdraw from this sharing arrangement”, including that Haryana authorities additionally withdrew the affiliation of its schools from the Panjab University.
Thus, the chief minister identified that from 1976 onwards, the State of Punjab and UT Administration of Chandigarh have borne the monetary accountability of paying upkeep deficit grants to the college within the ratio of 40:60, respectively.
He stated that regardless of the elevated monetary burden brought on resulting from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh withdrawal from the sharing association, and the creation of latest universities within the state, Punjab has continued to assist Panjab University to make sure that the historic and emotional attachment of the folks of Punjab with the varsity is maintained and preserved.
Mann stated that Government of Punjab is presently giving grant-in-aid of Rs 42 crore to the college yearly, moreover practically Rs 100 crore yearly collected by the varsity from the affiliated schools positioned in Punjab.
The chief minister stated that Panjab University is an emblem of Punjab’s legacy and is synonymous with identify of state. He stated that the college caters solely to the State of Punjab and its capital Chandigarh, so there exists no motive to change its character right into a central one.
With inputs from PTI.
Read additionally: Mizoram govt suspends courses for 2 days amid torrential rain Aizawl
Source: www.financialexpress.com”